Being Green in Mexico

So if there were any doubts that I'm a nerd, this will put them all to rest (Joey).

Yesterday morning I dragged myself out of bed super early to go on a trip with some other internationals and the university to visit the first mine in Guanjuato. (Guanajuato was built because they found so much silver and other metals in the area.) Before we went there, however, we stopped at a completely organic farm to take a tour.

The tour guide was super nice (and I could understand almost everything he said!) and he took us all around the farm. We saw all these techniques that were used to encourage the growth of native plants and conserve the maximum amount possible of water. Everything was done organically without the help of pesticides and other chemicals. There were several beehives around the area and I got to taste fresh honeycomb! They also had a greenhouse, some solar panels, and a compost pile! The most surprising part was when our guide pulled a rattlesnake out of a barrel and started talking about all the snakes they found (and kept) in the area. I confess that I was a little freaked out by the snake so I wasn't listening all that closely.

At the end of the tour, our guide was talking about how encouraging it was that we (college students) were going to be making the decisions for the world in the next 20 years. He encouraged us to remember this tour and how important it is to make decisions that are sustainable because we need to make sure that there will be water and other resources for our children and grandchildren. He quoted someone who once said, "When we stop destroying the earth it will start healing itself." And then he asked, "When are we going to stop destroying the earth?" Good question...

Now the only thing that will make me even happier is if I can find one place to recycle in this city.